We catch up with some of the best musicians in Umhlanga and learn about their incredible journeys in music.
Matthew Davies
How did your music career start?
I got into music at around six years old. My mom always thought it was important for me to play an instrument, so I started quite early on. My career only began properly around a year and a half ago when I met Tim Lewis, and we released our first single “Just Be Here” under Universal Music Group.
What is your musical style?
My style is quite eclectic. I believe it’s really important to be as versatile as possible. I enjoy my live acoustic sets but the music I have released has mainly been of the electronic and house genres.
What inspires you as a musician?
Seeing how far South African artists are going. This just shows how fond people are of our sound and how we’re killing the international market!
Do you have any albums, or would you like to produce one?
I don’t have any albums out but would definitely be open to producing one. I do, however, have a few singles out. The latest one is “It’s You” with Tim Lewis.
Can you share a memorable moment in your career thus far?
I have been so lucky to have played at some incredible festivals this year. Splashy Fen Festival was really cool as well as Beats in the Bush. At Beats, Tim and I were booked for an acoustic set on Friday night and an electronic set on Saturday night. It was really cool for us to show people that we can play two styles of music. But, I would have to say my biggest moment was being booked for Gcwalisa Spring Picnic at Kings Park Stadium. We’re going to be playing to about 20 000 people with an all-star lineup – DJ Maphorisa, Kabza, Cassper Nyovest. We’re super excited for that!
Instagram: @mattdaviesmusic_
Asvnte
How did your music career start?
Music has always been part of my life. Being a self-taught drummer and fulfilling other roles at church lead to me producing music. I just fell in love with it and have loved it ever since.
What is your musical style?
My style is created by fusing different elements together. Though it is varied, it’s definitely driven by hip hop and alternative/Afrobeat.
What inspires you as a musician?
My inspiration is very much rooted in seeing people smile and come together through music because it’s such a spiritual thing. I love how music makes me feel free and sharing that experience with thousands of people is priceless.
Do you have any albums, or would you like to produce one?
I have a couple of singles planned for the end of the year and I’m working towards my EP and/or album for 2024.
Can you share a memorable moment in your career thus far?
I would say seeing people singing my music and sharing it will always be a memorable moment for me, so performing on stages such as Rocking the Daisies and Cotton Fest have been amazing.
Instagram: @asvntemusic
Katie La Femme
How did your music career start?
My music journey really began by crafting cassette mixtapes as a child. I was naturally drawn to music and, guided by a few of my friends who are also DJs, I officially launched my career a decade ago.
What is your musical style?
My style is versatile, adapting to each venue’s vibe. I favour deep house, championing South African talent, and infusing melodic house with a blend of Afro-centric influences, reflecting our diverse musical heritage.
What inspires you as a musician?
I’m inspired by the constant evolution of music technology, melding classical approaches with cutting-edge advancements, creating endless possibilities in artistic creation.
What are your goals for the future?
My music journey has always been about the creative moment rather than a predestined outcome, but I hope I continue to follow my passion in whatever evolutionary form it takes.
Can you share a memorable moment in your career thus far?
The highlight of my DJ career was performing at a festival in Mozambique, the afterparty of Mozambique Fashion Week. I felt the crowd’s energy and realised music’s power to unite and uplift.
Instagram: @katielafemme
The Lion & The Bear
How did your music career start? Who are the members?
Our music careers started as kids. All three of our parents were musicians to some degree or another. Ruben’s (The Bear) family ran a record company in Germany and Luxembourg where he grew up. Brendon (The Panther) and I (Ross, The Lion) are brothers and started jamming out to Black Sabbath songs as kids, which is how we discovered our love for music. Ruben is also a concert-level pianist.
What is your musical style?
Our style is pretty much rock, blues and soul. We keep it very rootsy.
What inspires you as musicians?
What inspires us most is other music. Whilst life presents us with lots to sing about, it’s the great songs we hear that motivate us to write and compose our own music.
Do you have any albums, or would you like to produce one?
Yes, we have several original songs that we have released over the last few years. All of them can be accessed via our website. I would say our favourites are “Something Real”, “Street Fight” and “The Funk Jesus”.
What was the inspiration behind the band name?
Due to my hairstyle, I was once called “The Lion Man” by a small child, and from there the idea developed that each band member should have his own animal. Originally, we were The Lion, The Bear and The Panther, but the name was too long and people just called us The Lion & The Bear, and so the name stuck.
Website: www.lionbearband.co.za